The Umayyad dynasty came to power forty-five years after Muslim forces swept through Iberia, led by Abd ar-Rahman I. The Umayyad were already a very distinguished family, a branch of which once lead to the Islamic Caliphate. Also, the family could proudly claim descent from the Quraysh, the tribe of the Islamic prophet Muhammad himself.

Rise to power

Contemporary historians were quick to accuse ibn Muhammad of orchestrating the death of his elder brother, al-Mundhir, whereby he ascended to power. This is unlikely, as ibn Muhammad showed very little interest in governing, becoming a neurotic recluse who was only interested in hunting and his faith.

Rule

Once in power, however, he showed no reluctance to dispose of those he viewed as a threat, even if they were family. Two of his own brothers were executed on his orders, and he commanded one of his sons (al-Mutarrif) to kill his own brother. Even this extreme display of loyalty was not enough to save al-Mutarrif, as he too was executed for treason a few years later. The apathy ibn Muhammad showed towards ruling had disastrous consequences for his emirate. By the time he died, he was ruler in name only, as local warlords had seized control throughout his kingdom. For instance, the second largest city under his rule, Seville, fell under the control of Ibrahim ben al-Hajjaj. He was a strong patron of literature

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Abdullah ibn Muhammad (عبد الله بن محمد; January 11, 844 - October 15, 912) of the Umayyad dynasty, was the seventh Emir of Córdoba, reigning from 888 to 912 in the Al-Andalus (Moorish Iberia).

The most formidable threat for the emir was Umar Ibn Hafsun, who had conquered the provinces of Rayyo (including Bobastro), Elvira (including Granada) and Jaén, and had allied with the populations of Archidona, Baeza, Úbeda and Priego. In 891 Ibn Hafsun was defeated near the castle of Polei and lost several cities; Abdullah after the victory massacred all the Christians, while the Muslims of the conquered cities were pardoned. However, by the following year Ibn Hafsun had already recovered, and conquered back all the lost territories.

The emir signed a peace with Ibn Hafsun (who had allied with the Banu Qasi family, controlling the Ebro valley, and the Kingdom of Asturias) in 901; the war however broke out again the following year, only to be halted by the death at Córdoba of Abdullah, who was improving his positions. The son he has designed as successor was killed by one of Abdullah's brothers. The latter was in turn executed by Abdullah's father, who named as successor Abd ar-Rahman III, son of the killed son of Abdullah.